After winning the fight against Brandon Moreno with a split decision, Alexandre Pantoja showcased his championship potential. He went on to demonstrate his commitment to dominate the division by offering a rematch to Brandon Royval, willingly putting his UFC gold on the line.
Proving his dominance, Pantoja secured victory and retained the flyweight title at UFC 296 in Las Vegas last December. While the UFC is actively working on the UFC 300 main card, the potential main event for UFC 301 might unfold, as Pantoja has expressed interest in defending his title once again.
Alexandre Pantoja provides update on title defense
The UFC flyweight champion is aiming for defending his title for the second time in his career. Alexandre Pantoja is currently riding a 5-fight win streak and holds the No. 9 spot in the Pound for Pound rankings.
This time, Pantoja is determined to retain his title against one of his formidable opponents, Brandon Moreno. Having faced Moreno three times already, Pantoja seeks a fourth encounter, providing him with the opportunity to reclaim the belt he lost at UFC 290 in July of last year.
Alexandre Pantoja targets next UFC title defense in Brazil, coach envisions fourth Brandon Moreno fight (via @MikeBohn) https://t.co/PN0RvQUGgQ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 27, 2024
The interesting fact is that Alexandre Pantoja has beaten him three times already, but this time he wants to close the door forever. Coach Marcos DaMatta told MMA Junkie that his student is back to training and, in May, he will look to defend his title.
Marcos said, “He’s back training; he wants to defend his title in Rio in May.” On the potential fourth fight against Brandon Moreno, Pantoja said the only concern is that there is a 10-week fight difference between the May 4 event and the February 24 event, where 2 weeks are just weight management and rest periods.
Coach DaMatta added, “I truly believe if Moreno wins in Mexico City, the UFC is going to try to push for the fourth Moreno fight. The only problem that I see is between February 24 and May 4, which is exactly 10 weeks. The first and last week don’t count.”
The interesting aspect of this match-up is how the UFC is approaching it. They may consider pairing Pantoja with a new opponent if Moreno fails to secure victory or is unable to recover after the February 24 event.
Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Moreno head-to-head
Pantoja and Moreno both had head-to-head encounters earlier, where in 2016 in Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions, both had their first fights, and Alexandre secured the victory in the second round of fights via submission rear-naked choke.
Then in 2018, at UFC fight Night: Maia vs. Usman, Moreno did manage to put the results in the hands of the judges, but they favored Alexandre Pantoja over Brandon Moreno.
Last year, Moreno lost the fight via split decision, but the 33-year-old’s impressive performance at UFC 296 cemented his worth as the UFC flyweight champion. Former champion Moreno will also look to break the 3-0 streak of Pantoja after securing his first win at UFC 301.
What are your thoughts on whether the UFC will agree to the suggested fight Alexandre Pantoja is asking for?
